Get a grip and other Health and Beauty snippets

HAND strength has always been tied to general wellbeing.

A person’s grip is also a biomarker for overall health owing to its links with many other health-related variables.

These include bone-mineral density, nutrition, cognitive impairment, sleep problems and quality of life, according to Richard Bohannon, author of An Indispensable Biomarker for Older Adults.

An earlier 2015 study, which monitored nearly 140,000 older adults over four years, found that a frail grip was related to higher incidences of heart attack, stroke and cardiovascular disease.

The researchers also found that it foretold the likelihood of early death more effectively than blood pressure.

Do it gradually FORGET the old assumption that you must first go red to get a suntan.

Abi Cleeve, a beauty expert and managing director of a sun-protection firm, explained that the skin turns darker in the sun as it releases melanin to protect itself.

That did not mean it was necessary to turn lobster-red first, she insisted.

“As soon as the skin goes red, it’s in trauma.”

The skin appears to have tanned quickly but has burned, ensuring that you will eventually peel, she added.

To avoid this, Cleeve recommended gradually building up time spent in the sun, using a higher SPF sunblock to protect the skin while still getting a tan.

Cold comfort A COLD shower could result in fewer days off sick.

The results of a study published in Public Library of Science (PLOS) journal found that

Twenty-nine per cent of those who turned on the cold tap for 30 60 or 90 seconds needed less sick leave compared with people who had warm showers.

The cold shower group also felt they had better quality of life and less anxiety.

Researchers concluded that the cold water stimulated leukocytes, the immune cells that help fight off infection, and increased levels of elating endorphins.

Light fantastic A GADGET which sends a blast of light up the nose could prove a breakthrough for allergy and rhinitis sufferers.

As its creators point out, allergic rhinitis requires daily treatment with medication that can have harmful side effects.

Resembling an electric shaver, this new device uses photobiomodulation – or light therapy – to inhibit the release of histamines, the natural chemicals that trigger a runny nose and streaming eyes.

Named Lumimed, it has yet to be approved in the US where it was developed, or the UK.

Plane sense IF your summer break entails flying, avoid coffee and remember to drink enough water.

“Planes can dehydrate you because half of the air circulating in the cabin comes from the outside,” said Dr Chun Tang. “When you’re at a higher altitude there is hardly any moisture in the air.”

“Eat something light, like a salad and fruit. Avoid salty fast food, especially before flying, as this can cause bloating and more dehydration,” Dr Tang recommended.

“Avoid coffee too and stick to fresh juices and water.”

Footnote QUESTION: What part of the body do approximately 75 per cent of us fail to wash when showering?

Answer: Our feet.

Health authorities are urging people to pay more attention to their feet and to start scrubbing them with soap on alternate days at least.

Regular washing can help to avoid fungal infections, like athlete’s foot, and problems with toenails, they said.

These are increasingly common worldwide as they become resistant to medication, doctors explained.

All change This week’s conflicting alcohol news comes from a Massachusetts General Hospital research team in the US.

After analysing data involving more than 50,000 Americans, they found that an occasional drink lowers stress, which is linked to heart attack and stroke.

They concluded that women who drank one alcoholic beverage a day and men who drank two had a lower risk of cardiovascular problems than teetotallers or those who drank more.